He’s one of the hardest-working men in music and Rag‘n’Bone Man’s relentless effort is finally starting to pay off big time.

The Brighton-based singer has been steadily building a devoted fanbase not just at home but across Europe, constantly touring and refining his craft and now with a Brits Critics Choice Award behind him, he’s about to finally unleash the fruits of his labours, his immense debut album Human.

It’s the end result of a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but for the singer – real name Rory Graham – it’s been worth taking his time over.

He said: “It’s a collection of songs I’ve been working on for two years. The lifespan of the songs goes back even further than that, as a lot of them I’d came up with but couldn’t let go.

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“It was important to show the very best of my work, so I took my time with it.

“I could have put an album out last year, but I waited until I had better material to fill it up, regardless of style. There couldn’t be any filler on it. Sometimes you hear records and the singles are really impressive, but when you go to the album it doesn’t live up to them. I didn’t want that, it had to be a cohesive album.”

With such a long gestation period, it’s not surprising that the 31-year-old didn’t end up with the album he originally intended. Instead, it’s been an organic process, with the record evolving over time into its current, final form. There were no hard and fast rules for Rory, apart from making the record the best that it could be, one that most sums him up as an artist.

Rag'n'Bone Man performs supporting Tom Odell (Image: WireImage)

He said: “It changed over time. Originally I had it set out more like a singer/songwriter ballad album but as time moved on I made more hip hop-influenced stuff and it turned into a much more eclectic mix of styles. The softer ballads are still in there but there are a lot more other ideas going on too. The album shows all the different sides of me.”

Despite being a labour of love, Rory was still desperate to get it out as quickly as possible, but knew there was no point rushing it until he was completely satisfied with every element, from the songwriting and sound to the cover and packaging.

He said: “I felt like I’d finished six months ago but then spent more time mixing and mastering. I wanted the sound to be just right. There was a lot of time and effort put into the packaging too, getting the artwork perfect. Basically everything that went into it had to be the best it could be.”

While he was finally off the road during recording, Rory still missed playing live, so in the evenings made appearances at open mic nights. Not only did this scratch his gigging itch, but it gave him achance to road test the new material.

He said: “I’d write stuff during the day then think that night, ‘Maybe I’ll go out and play it’, to see how people would react. It was nice to play without any pressure.”

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With such a rich background of influences from everything from hip hop and blues to soul and funk, it became essential for him to incorporate all those elements into the album. They all make him the unique artist he is today and all have their place in what he does.

He said: “I wanted people to listen to it and hear something new, but at the same time hear the influences and see the linear path of where I was coming from.

“It covers all the music I grew up with, for example the hip hop I got into as a teenager to the more soulful side that came later. Hopefully I’ve achieved that.”

It’s a combination of that eclectic approach to music and his full-on approach to playing it live that has earned him a noticeably loyal fanbase around Europe. Even though he’s just starting to really make a name for himself now, many fans have been with him since the early days and are showing no signs of going anywhere now he’s a bonafide pop star.

Rory said: “I come from a scene that was very DIY. Even before I was signed four or five years ago, I worked really hard. I played festivals for no money, I put everything into it. That meant I established a really strong fanbase early on. I still get people coming up to me at gigs with mixtapes or CDs of mine from years ago, so it feels really nice that people are still onboard.”

That growing reputation was cemented when Rory won the coveted Brits Critics Choice Award for 2017. Previous winners include Adele, Emeli Sande and James Bay. Rory isn’t letting it go to his head. In fact, it’s not affecting him at all.

He said: “If you think too much about it, it would keep you up at night.

“The accolades are a wonderful thing but I never got into music for trophies.

“Even if I didn’t get any of them, I’d still be doing exactly what I’m doing right now. You need to keep your feet on the ground and not worry about any of that stuff.

“I was 100 per cent convinced I wasn’t going to win, so the fact that I did is just crazy. It’s nice though, because it opens me up to a wider audience. The more people that hear your music, the better.

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“I’m not 18, I’ve been doing this a good few years. It just means all that hard work I’ve put in wasn’t for nothing. I don’t feel pressure, I just carry on doing what I want to do musically and hope people like it.”

One change that’s happened recently is co-writing for the first time, with Jamie Hartman, formerly of Ben’s Brother.

Rory said: “When people sign record deals, they get thrown in to a million different writing sessions. I was never into that idea. I wanted to very much do my own thing. But Jamie was completely different, he’s a very kind soul and very nurturing as a songwriter. He also has a very defined pop sensibility that I don’t have.

“He understands the importance of lyrics but he’s really great with melodies. Sometimes when I write by myself it can get a bit formulaic, so Jamie was a really good sounding board to say, ‘Well I would do it this way, but how would you do it?’ That was invaluable.”

Rory hasn’t lost sight of his roots and is really excited about what’s happening in the UK underground scene right now, insisting that, against the odds, it’s in a healthier place than ever.

Rag'N'Bone Man's debut album is to be released soon (Image: Getty)

He said: “It’s becoming more difficult, with all the rules and regulations shutting clubs down, but hopefully that spurs people into becoming more active and maybe even start putting on free parties.

“Saying that, I don’t think there’s ever been a better time for MCs in the UK, especially grime and hip hop. It’s really widened up and the US have definitely taken notice. It’s not just a pastiche of a New York hip hop sound, we have our own thing. I hope there are more and more collaborations with the US.”

For himself though, Rory just wasn’t to keep doing what he’s doing, playing live and taking his music to new people. His upcoming tour in April is his biggest yet and he’s particularly looking forward to getting back in front of a Glasgow crowd.

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“I love the people in Glasgow, they’re really rowdy and up for it. Plus I get bought a lot of whisky, so I’m right up for that.

“I’m not changing my show too much, I’m just going to do what I always do, put everything I’ve got into the performance.

“No bells and whistles, just me. I just want to play. I’m not interested in anything else. It’s taken me a long time to feel my place is on a stage. I was shy as a performer and suddenly something clicked in my head that I actually deserve this.

“Ever since then, that’s been everything to me. I never feel better than onstage. It’s the only thing that really matters.”

Rag’n’Bone Man plays Glasgow’s O2 ABC on April 23. Tickets available from www.gigsinscotland.com